karakfa

Friday, November 17, 2017

Central Park is more welcoming than NYC.

Even in this rainy Friday evening, there are few dedicated (obsessed?) runners/bikers and some tourists.

90th street exit and run towards the East side. When you reach the walkway, you'll see the Wards Island pedestrian bridge up north. Conveniently designed with ramps (thanks bikers) on both side of the 1st Ave you can run up as a hill exercise. Bridge will take you to island. Another fellow runner passes by and lost from the sight. A family with young children taking photos with the backdrop of view of Manhattan.

Wards and Randall Islands used to be two separate islands but now co-joined. A waste water treatment dominates the west side, but east side is a nice park with some wild vegetation. I guess they don't need to pay for fertilizers.

Following the walkway towards north and passing another small bridge you'll end up in Randall Island. More vacant than Wards, only a sole mid-aged man fishing with a pole. Either a catch-and-release sport or not anticipating any catches since didn't bring a bucket!

All the structures set-up for the last weekend's picnic are long gone, the island is a big lawn; deserted and patiently waiting for the next big event (concerts?).

It's almost one hour now since I started running; rain and the last tea I drank before I left the office now forces me to find a bathroom. Behind a big tree I do my business not worried about anyone seeing me.

South entrance of the Triborough bridge (officially Robert F. Kennedy Bridge) to East Harlem is closed, spending a few minutes to find access to the north side. The bridge takes to 126th St and 2nd Ave. along with a heavy car traffic. I don't want 126 St though; quickly crossing to 125.

Harlem... Now gentrified and diversified, you can blend in without getting noticed or harassed. Running on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd towards west, you can cross Harlem. Avenue numbers changed to names Malcolm X, Adam Clayton Powell Jr, Frederick Douglass (read his amazing life story in his autobiography) honoring famous black men. Why the streets are named after men? Are there any named after women? After African Sq, you'll see the famous Apollo Theater, an important landmark in the history of jazz music.

Right after Morningside Ave, the road kinks up north even crosses 129th St. I follow religiously the street to the end, until I reach the west side walkway. Next to Hudson Parkway there is a walk/run/bike path. Next 90 mins or so I'll be running down south to Battery Park City and to (former) WTC Path station to cross the river to Jersey City. First, backyard of Columbia Univ.